'Doesn't it disturb you?' Residents ask Detroit City Council to tackle blight

Aaron Foley | MLive.comDetroit City Council members JoAnn Watson, Kwame Kenyatta, James Tate and Gary Brown listen to residents' concerns at their evening session on Tuesday night.

Though sparsely attended, the ones who did come all had the same concern: Vacant and abandoned structures.

Each month, the Detroit City Council hosts an evening community meeting -- alternating on each side of town each month -- for residents to bring attention to pressing matters in their neighborhoods. On Tuesday, council members and residents met at Samaritan Manor on the city's east side.

All of their stories echoed each other, regardless of which neighborhood they represented. The empty warehouse, the crumbling single-family home, the dilapidated apartment building; "Doesn't it disturb you that people are tearing up these abandoned buildings?" one resident asked.

Eight City Council members -- Saunteel Jenkins was the sole councilperson not present -- addressed these concerns with two proposed ordinances to curb blight in the area: An "anti-stripping" law as described by City Council President Charles Pugh and an ordinance to ramp up fines and violations against blighted property owners.

The anti-stripping law would prevent looters from stealing copper, marble and other materials from vacant homes. Neither ordinance has been formally introduced, though councilmembers agreed that they will be discussed "soon."

"The reality is that we all find it a problem," Pugh said. "We are just as angry as you. But we can't enforce anything; we are the body that applies the law to be enforced."

Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown also suggested using $20 million from a city fund used as insurance for homeowners with fire-damaged homes, while Councilwoman JoAnn Watson said that the state of Michigan owes the city of Detroit $200 million which could also be used for tearing down blight.